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Church of Pelor
' ' At the fruit stall an old man is speaking intently to the seller. The robes he wears are worn and closer to brown than yellow but the sun-burst on his robes identifies him as a member of one of the many sun cults in the region, known to followers as the church of Pelor. A young woman, no older than fourteen, hangs to one side of the stall. Her shoulders are slung with full looking bags and she stares at the floor through greasy hair. She wears the robes too and clutches a handful of parchments. The old man is asking the fruit seller about the harvest. “''Bad this year Grandfather,” the seller replies, as if we could not tell by the state of the wares in front of him. As I reach for a pear the priest glances at me, and then turns more fully, his eye caught perhaps by my foreign cast or clothing. “Well met friend!” he exclaims happily, “Have you seen the light of Pelor?” The fruit seller seizes this lapse in his part of the conversation and turns to shout at a boy unloading sacks in the back of the stall.'' “''We have followers in our lands, yes.” I reply.'' “''And how do your lands fair?”'' I gesture to the tiny, sour-looking pears. “No better than yours.” '' ''He nods in the stupid way characteristic of his order. “Pelor's light grows ever strong.” He smiles. '' “''You see some sign of that before us?” I ask incredulously. The young woman has raised her head to look at me now, her face blank and tired. “''Everywhere.” The old man steps toward me, laying a sudden grip upon my arm. His eyes fix on mine, a strange, insistent glare. His smile widens.“For what are you to me, my friend, but reflected light?” '' From My Travels in the East, by Ibz Gan-Phanto Pelor Pelor, also known as the Rising God, Sol, and the Shining man is one of the oldest and most widely worshipped God within the Empire and the Old Rule. He is known as the creator of the sun and the being who selected from among the many species of beast a small few to elevate to conscious awareness. As recounted in The Light of Pelor, certain of these races turned against the Light, and have since become servants of Ungor, Pelor’s dark counterpart. The cluster of faiths organised around Pelorian worship are broadly united in an overarching ethic of strength, vigour, and growth. Pelor is traditionally represented by a simple sunburst design that may be sewn onto robes or more commonly worn as a pendant. In tales recounting his interactions with men and other gods, Pelor is often portrayed as a man with a pleasant face, a strong body, and large, luscious hair. Most often he is middle-aged or elderly, although the art of the sect known as the Morning Glorians depict a much younger version of the deity. Because of Pelor’s particular blessing of fertility the faith is popular with peasants, who look for charms to protect crops and ensure childbirth. Priests of Pelor are for the most part ungoverned by any centralised authority, although particular regions are associated with their own Pelorian orders, some of which form more or less organised parish structures beneath high Grand Fathers and Mothers. The largest of these, referred to as “The Beaming” is overseen from the Bright Palace of the Smiling Court. Devotional Practice In line with the general preoccupation with growth among Pelorians the spread of the faith is itself regarded as a sign of the beneficence of the deity, and many followers display great fervour in proselytising and launching missions to foreign lands. Pelorians are greatly engaged, as both individuals and organisations, in the production of pamphlets, charm necklaces, and other materials to aid in these efforts. The most popular of the holy books is The Light of Pelor. This volume recounts the interactions of the God with early man, and the coming of darkness into the world. Abridged versions of ''the Light ''are frequently carried as pamphlets. Priests and priestesses are often married, with many children regarded as a sign of the God’s special blessings. Grand Pelorians in the largest cathedrals have had upwards of twenty living children. As a result, monastic communities may come to resemble small towns, with many children, grandchildren, and devotees dedicated to their upkeep. Over time some of these communities have grown larger than the farming communities they were initially established to service, Woodgleam and The Lerry being two of the best known. Pelorian priests are also widely trained in healing magics and many seek to acquire additional knowledge of the restorative properties of herbs and mushrooms. The goal of healing is not to remove sickness but rather to restore the body to the Pelorian ideal of vigour, growth, and strength. The health of the individual therefore encompasses their ability to labour in the world and bring forth further growth, and Pelorians have been more concerned than others of their order with ‘inner shadows’ or maladies of the mind. They also make excellent combat healers and often accompany warriors into dark places to bring light and peace. Spells to cure blindness are a particular speciality, with some reporting the curing of long-term blindness and even eyes growing anew. Spells to inhibit or reverse growth are however controversial. Many refuse to heal growths or tumorous illnesses, and some consider those who exhibit such illnesses to be blessed in life and carried without the need for judgement to the Afterlands in death.